Ditch cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A grading ditch cleaning apparatus removably attached to a construction machine is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least two frames removably attached to a distal end of the grader blade of the construction machine. The frame comprises a first end and a second end defining a predetermined length of the frame, wherein the first end of the frame is removably fastened to the grader blade. Further, the frame is configured to have a curved cross-section and obliquely attached to the distal end of the grader blade to clean the sloped ditch. The frame also comprises a plurality of holes to securely receive and fasten the first end of the frame to the grader blade.

BACKGROUND

The road graders are generally used to grade or slope any soil surface for various construction applications. Road graders have an elongated blade adapted to be mounted on a tractor or any other construction machine to scrap or ditch any surface. The design of the blade is always made cumbersome keeping in mind the effectiveness of the cleaning. Many prior art attempts were made to provide a grader wherein hydraulic ram structures or mechanical structures were attached to the frame for the grading process. Further, the arrangement of blades in these types of machines is complicated and depends on the application area for efficient grading process. Some of the machines also use a plurality of blades attached to the grader for cleaning and ditching the soil surface.

Early attempts were also aimed at machines which use tailor made blades for various applications such as grading, sloping and ditch cleaning. However, these machines have their own limitations such as the wheels of the machine faces obstructions like foreign body objects, fences, trash and so on. Also the prior art attempts failed to provide a construction machine wherein the blade that is adapted to do all the grading, as well as scraping and landfilling tasks. In certain cases, the blade design does not allow the machine to grade on slope surfaces wherein much is left behind the travelling blade thus creating a need for the machine to go again and again until the ditch is completely cleaned. Therefore, multiple trips have to be carried out by the operator which consumes more time and effort.

Prior art reference U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,190 discloses a dragline cleaner for open drainage ditches wherein horizontally elongated weighted body including front and rear sides as well as top and bottom sides is configured attaching the drag and haul-back bridle chains to extend the blade. These machines rely on chains to simply drag the grader over the ground with very little control of shaping, ditching, grading and backfilling at the same time.

Another prior art reference U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,185 discloses a ditcher adapted to be connected to a three-point hitch of a tractor wherein the ditcher can be towed and adjusted in elevational position. However, the attachment is heavy and there is a need to attach a huge steel assembly that is as big as the tractor or grader itself.

In light of the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations, there exists a need for an attachment for a grader blade of a construction machine to make efficient ditch cleaning thereby saving time and effort.

SUMMARY

The objective of the present invention is to provide a one-piece grading apparatus removably attached to a construction machine to clear and clean a sloped ditch.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the grading apparatus comprises at least two frames removably attached to a distal end of the grader blade of the construction machine. The frame comprises a first end and a second end defining a predetermined length of the frame, wherein the first end of the frame is removably fastened to the grader blade. Further, the frame is configured to have a curved cross-section and obliquely attached to the distal end of the grader blade to clean the sloped ditch.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the frame comprises a plurality of holes to securely receive and fasten the first end of the frame to anything with a blade as well as various blade sizes. The holes are sized to conformingly fit any blade of plurality of construction machines. The frame can be attached to a plurality of construction machines to perform at least one of a scraping, shaping, ditch cleaning and a backfilling process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a grading apparatus attached to a left side of a grader blade of a construction machine, incorporating aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 1B illustrates the grading apparatus attached to a right side of the grader blade of the construction machine, incorporating aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the grading apparatus to clean a sloped ditch, incorporating aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of the grading apparatus to clean the sloped ditch, incorporating aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the front view of the grading apparatus attached to the grader blade, incorporating aspects of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DIFFERENT EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is related to a grading apparatus 100 attached to a grader blade 104 of a construction machine 118 to perform a faster sloped ditch cleaning process.

Referring now to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B which illustrates a grading apparatus 100 attached to left and right sides of the grading blade 104 of the construction machine 118 to clean a sloped ditch. The grading apparatus 100 comprises at least two frames 102 attached to a distal end of the grader blade 104, wherein the frame 102 comprises a first end 106 and a second end 108 defining a predetermined length of the frame 102. The first end 106 of the frame 102 is removably fastened to the grader blade 104 via a plurality of holes 110 as shown in FIG. 2. In an exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the grading apparatus 100 comprises a first frame 102 attached to a left side of the grader blade 102 of the construction machine 118 and a second frame 102 attached to a right side of the grader blade 102 of the construction machine 118 to clean the sloped ditch. The frame 102 is configured to have a curved cross-section 112 and obliquely attached to the distal end of the grader blade 102 to clean the sloped ditch.

In an embodiment, according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 1A, the frame 102 is obliquely attached to the grader blade 104 at an angle of about 10 degrees. This configuration allows the grading apparatus 100 to perform a thorough cleaning on the sloped ditch. The frame 102 further comprises plurality of holes 110 to securely receive and fasten the first end 106 of the frame 102 to the grader blade 104 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. These holes 110 are sized in varying dimensions to conformingly fit any grader blade 104 of plurality of construction machines 118 as shown in FIG. 1A. The frame 102 is a one-piece unit configured to be attached to the plurality of construction machines 118. The construction machine 118 can be at least one of a grader, a tractor, a scraper and a ditcher. The frame 102 according to the present invention, is attached to the grader blade 104 is configured to perform at least one of a scraping, a shaping, a ditching and a backfilling process. The fastener 114 can be selected from the group consisting of a bolt, a nut, a pin and a screw.

Referring to FIG. 4, the frame 102 further comprises a plurality of upright members 116 fixedly attached along the predetermined length defined between the first end 106 and the second end 108 of the frame 102 to allow the flow of ditch materials engaged by the frame 102. The upright members 116 are vertically disposed from the curved cross-section 112 of the frame 102 to exert force and pull the ditch materials during the cleaning process. As the frame 102 is configured as one-piece unit, the frame 102 can be easily assembled and disassembled from the grader blade 104 of any constructional machine. The frame 102 is made from a compacted iron material.

Referring back to FIG. 3, which shows the grading apparatus 100 to clean the sloped ditch, according to a different embodiment. The configuration of the frame 102 and the holes 110 are made different to match various fastening requirements of the grader blade 104 of different construction machines 118 as shown in FIG. 1A. The number of fasteners 114 for mounting also varies depending on type of the construction machine 118 it is mounted on. In an exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the holes is kept as 1¾ inches and distance between each of the hole as 3½ inches. The first end 106 and the second end 108 defining the predetermined length of the frame 102 is kept as approximately 13 inches. Further, the length of the first end 106 of the frame 102 is 18 inches whereas the second end 108 that is oblique in shape has 23 inches. However, it is not limited to these dimensions and the invention can have other scaling parameters to meet the various aspects of the present invention.

According to a different embodiment as shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, a method of cleaning the sloped ditch is disclosed herein. The frame 102 comprising the first end 106 and the second end 108 defining a predetermined length is attached to the grader blade 104 of the construction machine 118 via a plurality of holes 110 as shown in FIG. 2 adapted to receive a fastener 114 for secured fitting. Using fasteners 114 such as bolts, the frame 102 can be attached to the grader blade 104. In an exemplary embodiment, the first frame 102 attached to the left side of the grader blade 104 of the construction machine 118 and the second frame 102 attached to the right side of the grader blade 104 of the construction machine 118 to clean the sloped ditch. Once the frames 102 are attached to the grader blade 104, an operator can run the construction machine 118 on the sloped ditch where the operator wants to clean the surface. Here, the curved configuration 112 of the frame 102 along with the upright members 116 of the frame 102 assists in shaping, ditching, grading and backfilling the ditch at the same time with a controlled handling. When the user operates and adjusts the grader blade 104 of the construction machine 118, the frame 102 attached to the distal ends of the grader blade 104 also moves in succession and assists in sloped versatile cleaning process.

According to the present invention as shown in FIG. 1A, the grading apparatus 100 assists the grader blade 104 of the construction machine 118 to perform a thorough cleaning even on the sloped ditch surface. The right and left frames 102 attached to the grader blade 104 scrapes, shapes, ditches and fills all at the same time to save time and effort. The design of the grading apparatus 100 allows for showing versatility in using the apparatus 100 for various applications. The curved cross-section of the grading apparatus 100 allows for efficient ditch cleaning on the sloped surface in a single trip thereby reducing the time and effort. Further, the round trips for cleaning the residual ditch materials from the ditch surface where the grading is performed is eliminated. The user can perform the grading operation for more miles in a quick succession saving time, fuel and money.

Although the present invention has been described herein in the context of a particular implementation in a particular environment for a particular purpose, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto and that the present invention may be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, the claims set forth below should be construed in view of the full breadth and spirit of the present invention as described herein. 

I claim:
 1. A grading apparatus removably attached to a construction machine, the apparatus comprising: at least two frames removably attached to a distal end of the grader blade of the construction machine, wherein the frame comprising: a first end and a second end defining a predetermined length of the frame, wherein the first end of the frame is removably fastened to the grader blade; wherein the frame is configured to have a curved cross-section and obliquely attached to the distal end of the grader blade to clean the sloped ditch.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of holes to securely receive and fasten the first end of the frame to the grader blade.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the holes are sized to conformingly fit any grader blade of plurality of construction machines.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, a first frame is attached to one end of the grader blade and a second frame is attached to the other end of the grader blade.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is obliquely attached to the grader blade at an angle of about 10 degrees.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is made from a compacted iron material.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is a one-piece unit configured to be attached to the plurality of construction machines.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the construction machine can be at least one of any grader, tractor, scraper, bulldozer or anything with a blade with various sized blade options available.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame attached to the grader blade is configured to perform at least one of a scraping, a shaping, a ditching and or a backfilling process.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame further comprises a plurality of upright members fixedly attached along the predetermined length defined between the first end and the second end of the frame to allow the flow of ditch materials engaged by the frame. 